Respectfully, I'd consider another option for the storage and power setup because going all-out on V90s and high-end power banks is gonna eat your budget fast, and tbh, it might be overkill for a travel vlog. > First, I’m struggling with media storage... should I invest in multiple V90 SD cards... ngl, you're gonna spend a fortune on V90s for no real reason. I've been shooting with the a7 IV since launch and honestly, you only really need V90 if you're doing heavy 4K All-I bitrates. For travel vlogs, the XAVC HS (H.265) codec is a lifesaver for file size and it runs perfectly on V60 cards. I’d suggest grabbing a few Lexar Professional 1667x 256GB SDXC UHS-II cards. They’re like a third of the price of V90s and work great. For offloading, maybe look at the Crucial X9 2TB Portable SSD instead of the more expensive brands; just keep it in a padded pouch and you're good. About the power—those high-wattage power banks are heavy. If you’re sticking to a 20L bag, weight is everything. I'd actually skip the bulky power bank and get two SmallRig NP-FZ100 USB-C Rechargeable Camera Battery 2400mAh. These are genius cuz they have a USB-C port built *directly* into the battery itself. You can charge them with your phone cable while you're eating lunch! Lastly, for audio, the Sony digital mics are slick but pricey. If you want a budget 'set it and forget it' mic, the Rode VideoMicro II is literally tiny and doesn't need batteries. It’s perfect for low-profile shooting in busy spots like Shinjuku. Basically, save your money on the cards and chargers, and use that cash for the actual trip. Just make sure to test the V60 cards with ur specific bitrate settings before you leave! gl!

Respectfully, I'd consider another option for the storage and power setup because going all-out on V90s and high-end power banks is gonna eat your budget fast, and tbh, it might be overkill for a travel vlog. > First, I’m struggling with media storage... should I invest in multiple V90 SD cards... ngl, you're gonna spend a fortune on V90s for no real reason. I've been shooting with the a7 IV since launch and honestly, you only really need V90 if you're doing heavy 4K All-I bitrates. For travel vlogs, the XAVC HS (H.265) codec is a lifesaver for file size and it runs perfectly on V60 cards. I’d suggest grabbing a few Lexar Professional 1667x 256GB SDXC UHS-II cards. They’re like a third of the price of V90s and work great. For offloading, maybe look at the Crucial X9 2TB Portable SSD instead of the more expensive brands; just keep it in a padded pouch and you're good. About the power—those high-wattage power banks are heavy. If you’re sticking to a 20L bag, weight is everything. I'd actually skip the bulky power bank and get two SmallRig NP-FZ100 USB-C Rechargeable Camera Battery 2400mAh. These are genius cuz they have a USB-C port built *directly* into the battery itself. You can charge them with your phone cable while you're eating lunch! Lastly, for audio, the Sony digital mics are slick but pricey. If you want a budget 'set it and forget it' mic, the Rode VideoMicro II is literally tiny and doesn't need batteries. It’s perfect for low-profile shooting in busy spots like Shinjuku. Basically, save your money on the cards and chargers, and use that cash for the actual trip. Just make sure to test the V60 cards with ur specific bitrate settings before you leave! gl!

yo, saw this earlier but just now responding! I went through this last year on a similar trip and sticking to a 20L bag is highkey a challenge. basically, the 10-bit files are huge, so i eventually gave up on carrying tons of V90s. I found that using Sony TOUGH-M Series SDXC UHS-II 256GB V60 cards worked for almost everything except the highest bit-rate S&Q, and then I just dumped footage nightly onto a Samsung T7 Shield 2TB Portable SSD. It's sooo much cheaper than buying 10 V90 cards, right? For the other stuff:
* Power: I used a Anker 737 Power Bank (PowerCore 24K) for PD charging while walking between spots. It's a lifesaver.
* Audio: The Sony ECM-B1M Digital Shotgun Microphone is literally the best for low-profile setups cuz there are no cables to snag. ngl, the a7 IV is a beast but it eats juice, so definitely keep that power bank handy. gl with the Japan trip! 👍

Yo, congrats on the a7 IV jump! I've been shooting with mine for travel docs for a bit now and honestly it's such a beast for 10-bit. Since ur trying to fit everything in a 20L bag (highkey impressed btw), you gotta be smart about the weight vs cost ratio... it's a balancing act for sure. First off, storage. Seriously, dont waste money on a stack of V90s. They're literally double the price for speed you barely need unless ur doing heavy 4K 120p S&Q stuff. I use V60 cards for 10-bit 4:2:2 and they work perfectly fine for the standard 24/60p bitrates. I suggest grabbing two big V60s and a rugged portable SSD to offload every night. It's way cheaper and safer to have ur footage in two places anyway. For power, the NP-FZ100s are great but high-bitrate video definitely eats them. Instead of buying like six spares, I'd suggest 2 extra batteries and a beefy USB-C PD power bank. You can top up the camera inside ur bag while walking between spots or riding the Shinkansen... it's a total lifesaver and keeps the kit way leaner. As for audio, those cable-free Sony mics that use the digital shoe are actually a vibe. No cables means one less thing to break or snag on stuff while ur weaving through crowds in Tokyo. Plus they're super low-profile so you don't look like a huge "pro" filmmaker, which helps with candid shots. Basically, go V60 + Power bank + Digital mic and ur golden. Japan is gonna be incredible with that setup tho!

Just catching up on this thread. It seems like the common thread here is that you definitely dont need to go broke on V90 cards for the a7 IV unless youre shooting 4K All-I all the time. The nightly offload strategy is definitely the veteran move for travel docs to keep that 20L bag manageable. > I really want to avoid overpacking, but I dont want to be caught unprepared in the field. From a DIY perspective, I always try to streamline the digital side so I dont have to carry a whole mobile office. Have you considered how youre going to verify those backups on the road without a laptop? Sometimes a small tablet or even your phone with a fast hub can act as your media manager. It takes a bit of setup but saves a lot of weight compared to a MacBook. A couple questions to help narrow it down:

• Are you planning to do any assembly edits while youre in Japan, or is the SSD just for safekeeping until you get home?
• How many hours of footage are you realistically planning to log every day? Knowing those details would help decide if you need a high-speed interface or if a simpler storage setup would work for your workflow.

Man I wish I found this thread sooner. Would have saved me so much hassle.

Like someone mentioned, Japan is basically a dream for any filmmaker, and the a7 IV is the perfect tool for it. Honestly tho, when I was out there last, the most important thing wasnt even the gear... it was making sure I didnt trip over my own feet while staring at the scenery. I remember being in Shinjuku trying to get this epic hyperlapse of the crowds, and I ended up getting completely distracted by this cat cafe that had a literal line out the door. I spent like three hours just watching people interact with these grumpy-looking Persians through the window. One guy had a full suit on and was just having a deep conversation with a calico. It made me think about how different city life is over there compared to back home. My local cafe just has a bird that occasionally flies in and steals sugar packets. I once saw it fly off with an entire croissant, it was actually kinda impressive. Anyway lol, I totally forgot where I was going with this. Sorry kinda went off topic there.

Interested in this too